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SCI & TECH28m agoMind-controlled drone-flying at Hong Kong’s Being Human Festival among varied programmeThink you can steer a drone using nothing more than your own concentrated thoughts? It may sound like science fiction, but mind-controlled drone-flying is one of the free activities the public can take part in at the upcoming Being Human Festival in Hong Kong. Running from November 5 to 15, the festival is the first Hong Kong edition of the UK’s national festival of the humanities, which was founded in 2014. Organised by the University of Hong Kong (HKU)’s Faculty of Arts under the theme...South China Morning Post
HEALTH1h agoChinese University of Hong Kong to offer free AI dementia screening to 2,700 seniorsThe Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will launch its first free, district-based dementia screening programme next year, using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered retinal imaging to detect early signs of cognitive decline in 2,700 older residents within two years. The programme will be implemented in Wong Tai Sin, which has one of the highest proportion of elderly residents among Hong Kong’s 18 districts. Participants identified as being at risk will be paired with volunteers to receive...South China Morning Post
POLITICS1h agoHong Kong homeowners prompt government rethink on proxy vote proposalsHong Kong homeowners’ resistance to proposals to limit proxy votes and restrict meeting attendance to relatives has prompted authorities to study alternatives to resolve estate management issues behind the deadly Tai Po fire. In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Tuesday, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau revealed the findings of its month-long public consultation on amendments to the Buildings Management Ordinance, part of proposed reforms after the Wang Fuk Court fire that killed...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS2h agoHong Kong seeks to balance finance growth against cyber risksChinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng said that building Hong Kong “remains a key strategy for China” as he outlined four ways for the city to boost its long-term prospects and support the country’s development. The city should strengthen its role as a centre for international finance and the offshore yuan market, promote high-quality economic and social development, support technological innovation and align with China’s 15th five-year plan, he said in a video address to the Global Financial Leaders’...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS2h agoHong Kong records 15th straight quarter of growth as GDP rises 5.2%Hong Kong’s economy grew by 5.2 per cent year on year in the third quarter, marking its 15th consecutive quarter of expansion, while retail sales rose by 6.4 per cent in September. For the first three quarters combined, the economy expanded by 5.1 per cent, its fastest growth for the period in five years, advance estimates released by the Census and Statistics Department on Tuesday showed. This compared with increases of 4.2 per cent in the second quarter and 5.9 per cent in the first. On a...South China Morning Post
POLITICS3h agoHow Hong Kong can turn 30,000 youth placements into lasting careersHong Kong will launch a 30,000-place youth employment and internship programme in the first quarter of 2027. Before applications open, the government should decide what it is buying: a temporary increase in headcount or a durable increase in professional capability. The distinction matters because the entry-level labour market is already changing. According to an annual survey by Baptist University, the starting-pay advantage of bachelor’s degree holders over sub-degree graduates narrowed by 17...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS3h agoVice-Premier He Lifeng vows support for Hong Kong as international financial centreBeijing says it will introduce extra measures, as needed, to bolster Hong Kong as an international financial centre, with Vice-Premier He Lifeng pledging continued support in a speech on Tuesday. Delivering a keynote speech at the opening of the 2026 Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit in Hong Kong via video link, He said finance was the most important leg of the city’s “four centres and one highland” agenda and stressed that using the advantages of the “one country, two systems”...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS3h agoSingle check-in for those flying through Hong Kong from mainland China under new schemeTravellers flying from Hangzhou or Wuhan to overseas destinations via Hong Kong on different airlines can have their baggage checked through to the final destination under a newly launched service that aims to streamline connections between mainland Chinese cities and other countries. Under the new one-stop service that launched on Tuesday, travellers departing from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport or Wuhan Tianhe International Airport will not need to check in their baggage again when...South China Morning Post
POLITICS5h ago2½ years’ jail for Hong Kong district councillor who had sex with 13-year-old girl in 2011A Hong Kong district councillor has been sentenced to two years and six months in jail for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl 15 years ago, with a judge noting he had shown no remorse towards a victim he claimed to have loved. District Court Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi on Tuesday noted that Sei Chun-hing, a 39-year-old Yuen Long District Council member, was aware of the “red line” of sex with a minor when they started dating in October 2010. At the time, she was 13 and Sei 23. Chan...South China Morning Post
POLITICS7h agoBeijing removes Hong Kong housing chief Winnie Ho after Tai Po fire resignationBeijing has formally removed Hong Kong’s housing chief, Winnie Ho Wing-yin, from her post, after she resigned last week to take political responsibility for the deadly Tai Po fire. According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, the State Council removed Ho from office on Tuesday on the recommendation of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. The announcement gave no reason for the decision and did not name a successor. In a government statement, Lee said Ho had indicated she would “shoulder the...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS7h agoTokenised gold bar to advance Hong Kong’s ambitions as digital, metal trading hubHong Kong’s plan to start an interbank tokenised gold transaction project marks a crucial step in its quest to make itself a key global hub for the precious metal, according to analysts. The city planned to launch a gold token representing a standard 400-ounce gold bar, referencing HAU, Hong Kong’s ticker for gold prices launched earlier this year, said Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu during the annual Fintech Week event on Monday. He said the effort...South China Morning Post
POLITICS8h agoHong Kong will ‘rethink playbook’, offer stability amid global shifts: John LeeHong Kong is rewriting its economic playbook amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), and is pivoting towards commodity trading, fintech and green finance, the city’s leader has said, while pledging to provide stability for investors. Addressing the annual Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said the city’s first five-year plan was a long-term road map that provided market...South China Morning Post
WORLD8h agoMan, 61, arrested for allegedly spiking drink of Japanese DJ at Hong Kong nightclubA 61-year-old Hong Kong man has been arrested for allegedly spiking the drink of Japanese disc jockey Mao Hamasaki at a Tsim Sha Tsui nightclub over the weekend, leaving her in intensive care. The police on Tuesday said that after investigations by the Yau Tsim crime squad, officers arrested the suspect in Central on Monday in relation to an alleged drugging attempt at PP Club on Mody Road the previous day. The man has been detained and is being investigated for allegedly administering poison...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS10h agoHong Kong’s malls must evolve into green sanctuaries to stay relevantRetail is making a comeback in Hong Kong. Deloitte China reported an encouraging HK$203 billion (US$25.9 billion) in sales volume in the first half of 2026, beating expectations. Accordingly, they forecast the retail market to reach HK$412 billion by the end of this year. A retail revival should directly translate into reduced vacancies for the city’s bricks-and-mortar stores. However, while high street vacancies dropped to 9.1 per cent, the lowest since 2020, vacancies in prime shopping centres...South China Morning Post
WORLD11h agoHong Kong runners hit out at conditions for inaugural Northern Metropolis MarathonWater shortages, gruelling course conditions and a lengthy post-race walk marred Hong Kong’s inaugural Northern Metropolis Marathon on Sunday, participants have said, prompting calls for organisers to overhaul arrangements if the event is to return. As the city seeks to establish itself as a premier hub for mega-events, experts warned the problems went beyond teething issues. They urged organisers to ensure they had the professional expertise required to host similar events in future. Organised...South China Morning Post
POLITICS14h agoLong delays for Hong Kong court cases demand urgent actionJustice delayed, it is often said, is justice denied. If that is true, many court users in Hong Kong are being failed by the system. Those involved in criminal cases at the Court of First Instance must wait 358 days on average for the hearing, the judiciary revealed last week. The figure for the District Court is 354 days, way above the court’s 100-day target. This is a cause of concern. The glacial process has prompted the Law Society to call for drastic measures. Justin Yuen Hoi-ying, chairman...South China Morning Post
WORLD21h agoLegal body’s new Hong Kong office targets developing Southeast Asian economiesAn international legal body’s new regional office in Hong Kong aims to help developing Southeast Asian economies and promote the wider use of uniform commercial law across the Asia-Pacific, its secretary general has said. Ignacio Tirado, secretary general of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (Unidroit), said its new Asia-Pacific Liaison Office was receiving financial support from the Hong Kong government and seeking additional sponsors. He was speaking after the...South China Morning Post
POLITICS22h ago3 former Hong Kong leaders head funeral committee for educator Ng Hon-munFuneral proceedings for Ng Hon-mun, an influential pro-Beijing educator and long-serving Hong Kong deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC), will begin on Wednesday, with three former city leaders heading the funeral committee. Ng died peacefully on October 18, aged 100. His wake will be held at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point from 5pm on Wednesday, followed by a memorial gathering at 7pm. A public memorial service will take place at 10am on Thursday, according to an obituary seen by...South China Morning Post
WORLD22h agoEx-boyfriend planned to kill yoga instructor, Hong Kong murder trial hearsA 23-year-old yoga instructor was found dead floating in a blood-filled bathtub in a luxury Hong Kong hotel room after sustaining more than 40 wounds, a court heard on the opening day of her former boyfriend’s murder trial. Prosecutors told a High Court jury on Monday that the accused, Alex Lo Chun-ming, planned to kill his ex-girlfriend Chow Wai-yin with a sharp knife at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in West Kowloon on June 29 and 30, 2022. Chow, known as “Aqua”, was popular on social media and had...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS23h agoHKEX extends overnight derivatives trading as Hong Kong chases global market flowBourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is taking a further step towards round-the-clock trading by pushing back the closing bell for its after-hours derivatives market by 75 minutes from next year, according to a statement released on Monday. The derivatives After-Hours Trading (AHT) session would extend to 4.15am from 3am, Hong Kong time, starting in March 2027, subject to regulatory approval and system readiness, according to HKEX. It added it was also considering a further...South China Morning Post
POLITICS23h agoHong Kong’s first national security law convict among 4 released early, sources sayThe first person convicted in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed national security law and three others jailed in related high-profile cases have been released early, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources said Tong Ying-kit, who was sentenced in July 2021 to nine years in prison for inciting secession and engaging in terrorist activities, had been granted early release. The news emerged three years after Tong expressed regret in an official television documentary produced by the...South China Morning Post
CYBER1d agoMeta says it met Hong Kong privacy watchdog over AI-enabled glasses concernsMeta Platforms has confirmed it discussed privacy concerns surrounding smart glasses with Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog, as the US tech giant’s AI-enabled eyewear goes on sale in the city amid mounting international scrutiny. The company briefed Hong Kong media on Monday, days after the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) warned that smart glasses could enable covert recording, excessive collection of personal data, and the processing of sensitive information through...South China Morning Post
WORLD1d agoHong Kong police arrest man after hit-and-run at checkpoint sparks 10-hour huntHong Kong police arrested a man on suspicion of furious driving after a 10-hour manhunt sparked by a hit-and-run crash at a cross-boundary checkpoint in the early hours of Monday. Police said a car hit a barrier gate at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge checkpoint at 1.17am. The incident was classified as a damage-only traffic accident and a hit-and-run. Officers located the car near Hoi Wing Road in Tuen Mun’s Castle Peak area at about 10.30am and gave chase, intercepting it on Hoi Wong Road at...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS1d agoHong Kong IA weighs new rules for asset-intensive reinsurance — reportThe Hong Kong Insurance Authority is reportedly considering new regulations for asset-intensive reinsurance. This indicates potential changes in the financial regulatory landscape for the insurance sector.reinasia · united states of america